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Who Attends the Academy?

Learn more about the students who choose to spend four weeks immersed in language.

The Language Academy attracts a diverse group of hard-working, determined students who choose to dedicate four weeks of their summer to pursuing proficiency in a second language. Middle and high school students come to the Academy from across the United States, and a number of international countries, which helps create a community rich in diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

We have a variety of ages on site, from students who will enter 8th grade to students who have just graduated from high school. We also attract absolute beginners who have never spoken a word of Spanish, French, Chinese, German or Arabic, heritage speakers and students who are already proficient in a second language who want to achieve fluency, creating a well-rounded community of learners.

We encourage all students who are serious about learning a new world language to join our community for an unforgettable language immersion experience with tangible results.

Who Are the Students That Typically Attend the Academy?

One common thread between all students who attend the Academy is a passion for language. Students often tell us that it's an environment unlike any they've ever experienced before, as all students share a common interest and a commitment to achieving bilingualism. We see students bond quickly and make strong, lasting friendships at the Academy through the challenging language immersion environment.

What Ages Are Accepted at the Academy?

We accept rising 8th grade students (12 or 13 years old) to students who have just completed high school (typically 17 or 18 year old). We see the largest number of Academy students in 9th through 11th grades, but we do have a strong representation of middle school students, as well as older high school students. Older students with more advanced language skills might choose a study abroad experience, although we do have a good number of older students who attend our U.S.-based immersion programs as well. Younger students might start with a year of language immersion in Vermont before pursuing a second year of language study at the Academy abroad.

Where Do Students Come From?

Students come to our Vermont-based programs and study abroad programs from around the United States. The program doesn't solely attract students from the Northeast and tri-state area, as families sometimes assume. We see large numbers of students come from California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Tennessee, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and other states throughout the country, as far as Alaska and Hawaii.

We also attract a number of international students who choose to experience the United States for a summer of language immersion. Last year, international students came to the language Academy from Moscow, London, Singapore, New Delhi, San Juan, Prague, Hong Kong, Jeddah, Dubai, Nigeria, Norway, the Phillipines, Toronto and the Bahamas, among other locations around the globe.

What is the Gender Split Among Academy Students?

The majority of our language programs see a rough 60/40 split between female and male students. Our French Academy tends to see a higher percentage of female students, whereas our Chinese Academy typically skews to a higher percentage of male students.